


Hotel New Hampshire, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-03
Updated: 2007-10-03
Packaged: 2019-05-31 07:37:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15114761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: It was an incredible distraction but Greg wasn't sure he was in the mood to play the game.





	Hotel New Hampshire, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: I spent an evening listening to Patti Scialfa's 23rd Street Lullaby album and this is what came from it. The title comes from the great John Irving book and it just fit.  


* * *

“Maybe we should pull over.” Greg said. “The rain is only getting harder. There are so many quaint little places to stop. Only if you want to.”

“Well, if you are OK with stopping then I am. You are in the driver’s seat.”

“I'm not apprehensive about driving in the rain. Though my reflexes are not what they once were.”

“Then pull over. There are some great places to spend an evening.”

“You know we are only 35 miles from Manchester. We’ll stop there. Is that alright?”

“Oh, um OK.”

“Are you sure?”

"I guess so."

Really? Because we don't have to, you know. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

“Stop asking so many questions.” CJ did not snap but her tone indicated she did not want to have the conversation anymore. “Driving to Manchester is fine.”

Greg nodded, putting his whole focus on the road. It looked as if the rain was slacking but that might be wishful thinking. It was one of those late August days full of rain…the temperature barely got into the 70s. The Brocks were on a road trip. They took a train from New York to Boston, rented a car, and decided to have an adventure. CJ figured if she could not go off and do whatever she wanted then what was the point. She loved Greg’s can-do spirit…he was content with whatever she threw his way. They took turns driving, stopping at cute eateries, little towns, and bed and breakfasts. She was having a great time; so was her husband.

“Are you alright?”

CJ looked at Greg. He turned Patti Scialfa down and flicked the windshield wipers to they would move quicker.

“Hmm?”

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yeah.” She nodded. “Uh huh. Just dandy honey pie.”

She put on that beautiful smile, which Greg recognized immediately as being false. He didn’t know what was wrong because everything was fine until he suggested pulling over. It had been cloudy and dreary for two days. Maybe it was finally getting to her. He would try to cheer her up.

“Claudia Jean?”

“Yes.” She leaned back in the seat, turning to glance at him.

“I love you.”

“I'm OK.”

“What? I can't say I love you. CJ…”

“There’s the exit.” She pointed. “You don’t want to miss it.”

Greg switched lanes. As they drove off the ramp and down the road toward the city he just let it drop. There was no point in pushing her. He also didn’t want to make something out of nothing. He looked out of his window and saw a little place called Howard’s End.

“Oh, this looks good. Have you ever been to Howard’s End?”

“No, pull in.”

He parked in the tiny lot and got out of the car. Opening his big umbrella, Greg went around to open his wife’s door. CJ took his hand; they went into the bed and breakfast with their arms around each other.

“Hi there.”

A sweet-faced woman in her 30s stood at the desk. She had a ready smile that Greg returned. CJ just shivered.

“We would like a room with a beautiful view.” He said.

“That won't be a problem. Its $119 for the night.”

“That’s fine.” Greg gave her his Visa as a younger man approached.

“Do you have bags sir?”

“In the car. It was raining so…”

“I’ll retrieve them. Let me take you to your room.”

Nodding, Greg reached for his wife’s hand and they followed him upstairs. There were five bedrooms and a sitting room on the second floor; a set of stairs led up to a third floor. He unlocked the door and Greg thought the room was great. He checked out the firmness of the mattress and the view before turning back to the young man.

“This is perfect.”

“Great sir. I’ll just get your bags and be right back.”

“Thank you.”

They were alone in the room for a few minutes. Greg took CJ in his arms. 

“You're awfully quiet cookie.”

“Just tired. When he comes back with our luggage we should take a little nap. I think we've been in the car too long.”

She managed a smile and Greg kissed her softly. She stroked his cheek before excusing herself in the bathroom. CJ looked at herself in the mirror, mouthing to get a grip. It was just a town; they were just going to spend the afternoon and night. Every crack in the sidewalk held a memory though…CJ and Leo had the best and worst times of their relationship in this town. He told her he loved her for the first time between Manchester and DC. She thought their marriage might end in one of the many rooms of the Bartlet farmhouse. 

When she emerged, their bags were sitting on the loveseat. CJ put on a little smile and ran her fingers through her hair.

“Nap time.” She said, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Greg caressed her hands.

“I will be right back, Mrs. Brock…you get comfortable.”

He kissed her nose before going into the bathroom. CJ took a couple of deep breaths, slipping out of her Gucci loafers. Her denim capris came next. She walked around the room in her panties and blouse. There were art deco pieces on the freshly painted walls. She liked the blue; maybe she would find a room suited for that color when she returned home. Speaking of home, she would have to remember to call Nora and Toby tonight; fill them in on their little adventure.

The room was darkened, the curtains drawn, when Greg slid into bed. It was cool under the sheets. He thought CJ might be asleep but he felt the warmth of her smile when he spooned his body behind hers. It was a comfort to wrap her in his embrace. The worst part of a car trip was that he couldn’t spend the whole time holding her.

“Now I can sleep.” He whispered, kissing her hair.

“I love you too Gregory.”

He fell into peaceful slumber, though his dreams were strange. In one, Buttons the cat was a biped and sang like Nancy Wilson. Another saw him driving his car through a snowstorm using his feet like Fred Flintstone. A soft noise was in the background of his car adventure but Greg didn't quite know what it was. It got closer…he felt himself reentering the world of the waking. 

The first thing Greg noticed was that CJ was trembling. The room was not cold; it was room temperature. Then, as his hearing slowly returned, he knew what was happening. CJ was crying. It was not a wail; in fact she was doing her best not to be heard.

“Claudia Jean, are you crying?”

“No.” she whispered.

“That is certainly not true.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Cookie?”

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I know you're tired from the drive Greg. Go back to sleep.”

“No. I don't mean to be confrontational but I think what you meant to say was that you didn’t want to wake me. C’mon, turn around and look at me.”

It took a while but CJ finally turned around in his arms. Her eyes were red; tearstains streaked her cheeks. Greg sighed and stroked her face. It broke his heart when she cried.

“What's the matter?”

“I don’t know…that’s the truth.”

“I wasn’t going to debate that.” he pulled her close. “Its Manchester, isn’t it?”

“Greg, this place has so many memories; both good and bad. I'm just a little overwhelmed.”

“That’s understandable.” He rubbed her back. “You don’t have to hide that from me. I'm your husband and you can tell me anything.”

“Anything?”

“Of course, you know that. Just cry if you need to cry baby. I'm going to hold you. The tears will pass.”

“I don’t know.”

“I do. They always do, don’t they?”

His voice and his embrace soothed her and soon CJ started to calm. The sobs turned to sniffles, which eventually turned to silence.

“You want to talk about it?” Greg asked.

CJ shook her head. She tilted her chin, capturing him in a passionate kiss. It caught him off guard but Greg quickly stepped back to reality. He could not help but respond to her kisses…moan as her body moved against his. Still, he knew what she was doing. CJ could use sex to distract a man. It was an incredible distraction but Greg wasn’t sure he was in the mood to play the game.

“CJ, CJ, baby stop.”

He took her gently by her shoulders and pulled her away. She looked surprised by his move.

“What? What's the matter?”

“That’s what I'm trying to figure out.”

“I just want to kiss.”

“Well I think I want to talk.”

“Greg.” She sighed. Her tone was exasperated and she checked it. She sat up on the bed, running her fingers through her hair.

Greg sat up too, wrapping his arms around his wife. She accepted his affection so they were still alright. He was going to make sure they stayed that way.

“I just miss him.” She finally relented. “I mean, I miss him everyday but this town…this town is synonymous with our relationship. Why did the rain force us to stop here?”

“So you could face it maybe. It’s a town, with buildings, bricks, concrete, and tar. Most of the places you created memories in aren’t even here anymore.”

“They're in my soul.” CJ replied.

“I know.” He kissed the nape of her neck. “That’s perfectly normal you know. You haven’t been to Manchester in a long time. These feelings are not out of the ordinary.”

“I'm hungry.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk a bit.”

“Yeah. Honey,” she turned to look at him. Those blue eyes were such a comfort to her. “I appreciate more than anything that you give me an open space to talk about him. That doesn’t mean I should always take advantage of it.”

“OK. We’ll get dressed; go out and get some dinner.”

“First…” she straddled him.

“What?”

“You, Mr. Brock. You’ve had a nice drive, a nap, and even a little drama. There has to be something else you want.”

“Mmm, I don’t think so. We've covered everything.”

“Greg!” she exclaimed, pushing him over on the bed.

They both laughed as CJ surrendered to his eager affection.

“Are you really alright?” he asked.

“You know what? You have this way of asking questions when we are totally in the middle of something else.”

The Brocks were naked, tangled in each other. CJ ran her hand down his back. Greg shivered, doing it again when she stroked his buttocks and moved around to his erection.

“I love you Gregory. There are a lot of memories here, but I want to make new ones. Let’s start right here in this room. Then we will go outside and eat something that we've never tried before.”

“So, no Chinese?”

“No Chinese.” CJ shook her head laughing. “Stop talking honey.”

“OK. I love you too Claudia Jean. Very, very much.”

“Woo hoo!”

She kissed him passionately before throwing the sheets over them.

***


End file.
